Khalsa bole

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Last edited January 6, 2023

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Khalsa bole (Gurmukhi: ਖ਼ਾਲਸਈ ਬੋਲੇ or ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਬੋਲੀ; Ḵẖālasa'ī bōlē, Ḵẖālasā bōlī; meaning "words of Khalsa"; alternatively transcribed as Khalsa boli) is a bravado-based language variety developed and spoken by members of the Akali-Nihang sect of Sikhism.[1] It has also been described as a coded language.[2] Other common names for the lect are Gar Gaj Bole (ਗੜਗੱਜ ਬੋਲੇ; meaning "words that thunder"), Nihang Singh de Bole ("words of the Nihang Sikhs"), Nihang Bola ("Nihang speak"), and Khalsa de bole ("words of the Khalsa").[3][4]

Purpose

The dialect encompasses the Sikh philosophical concept of remaining ever optimistic, known as Chardi kala.[5] The unique dialect serves martial and mental objectives, such as helping the speaker and listeners remain in high-spirits in the face of adversity.[6][7] It serves as a verbal act of dissent in the face of troubling circumstances.[4]

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History

Origin

Some claim it was invented by Banda Singh Bahadur, the early 18th century Sikh warrior and martyr.Template:R Sikh scholar, Piara Singh Padam, claims it originated earlier in the 17th century, during the time of the Sikh Gurus.[8] The lect developed during the period of intense persecution of the Sikhs by the Mughal and Durrani empires in the 18th century.[9] During that period, Sikhs vacated for the mountains, jungles, and deserts to escape the genocidal policies enacted against them.[9]

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Present-day

The dialect is still used by some modern Sikhs, especially the Akali-Nihangs.[10] Many modern Nihangs are ridiculed for using their dialect.[4] They are often the target for jokes by outsiders.[4]

Linguistic sources

Khalsa bole sources its vocabulary from "a mixture of Punjabi, Hindi, Persian and other dialects used in various regions of India".[11][6]

List of vocabulary examples

Khalsa bole words and phrases with figurative and literal meanings
No. Word or phrase Figurative meaning Literal meaning Reference(s)
1. akāl dan dispenser of wisdom wooden club Template:R
2. conquer Chittor or Multan urination or defecation [1][10]
3. Nihal Kaur blanket Sikh woman's name, satisfiying woman [6]
4. larki green chillies girl or woman [6]
5. rupa onion beautiful, beauty, silver pieces [6][2][12]
6. dhid phookni, tid fookni tea stomach destroyer [6][12]
7. thokhay baj (spoon) of sugar [6]
8. akaash pari goat [6]
9. larraaki refers to an individual with a martial spirit red chillies [6]
10. akkar-bhan fever [6]
11. sukha Cannabis concocted beverage (bhang), tranquilizer peace of mind, happiness, pleasurable [6][12]
12. araakis horses [6]
13. thanedaar donkey police officer [6]
14. Qazi, Kaji cockerelTemplate:Efn judge in the field of Islamic jurisprudence [6][12]
15. chhauni undergarments (kacchera) encampment [6]
16. aflatoon quilt braggart, bragger, boaster [6]
17. aandey potatoes eggs [6]
18. aring baring lying down wrestling [6][12]
19. Basant Kaur corn combination of Basant (Spring festival) + Kaur (female Sikh title) meaning "Spring damsel" [6][12]
20. billa Englishman cat [6][12]
21. bhuchanger youth [6]
22. chugal mirror back-biter, tattler [6][12]
23. DC limper [6][12]
24. dhullay meat [6][12]
25. gobinday watermelon [6][12]
26. gobindyia carrots [6][12]
27. jahaj cart boat, ship [6][12]
28. samundar milk ocean [6]
29. sarb ras salt essence of life [6][12]
30. siropa beating robe of honour [6][12]
31. tehsildar intelligent tax official of a tehsil (administrative unit) [6][12]
32. Teja Singh train Sikh man's name [6]
33. athak savārī pair of shoes tireless mount Template:R
34. charāī karnā to die to invade, charge or set out on an expedition Template:R[13]
35. lakh netarā blind in one eye one with 100,000 eyes Template:R
36. mast, mastana empty of personal supplies in a state of ecstasy, carefree Template:R[12]
37. savā lakh approach of one Nihang Sikh 125,000-strong army [4]Template:R[10][13]
38. eating almonds eating parched gram [2]
39. rupee pebbles rupee currency [2]
40. a quarrelsome woman red chilli [9]
41. garamjal beverage concoction made

of cannabis and hot water

hot water [9]
42. smoking kissing a female donkey [9]
43. golee medicinal pill, tablet, or capsule bullet [14][15]
44. veer brother brave [8]
45. fauj oneself army [8]
46. mithe parshad old bread, leftover roti or chapati more than a day-old sweet and blessed bread or sacrament [8][12]
47. tar pulaw dry meal aromatic gravied rice [8]
48. langar mast nothing to eat, hunger happy time, intoxication [8][13]
49. chhapa maarna showing up spontaneously to the homes of friends or relatives guerilla ambush, surprise attack [8]
50. Dharamraj di dhee di sewa being ill being cared for by the angel of death's daughter [8]
51. jān bhai personal horse dearest brother, blood brother [8][12]
52. Pathan sira cauliflower Afghan headTemplate:Efn [8][12]
53. chhilad money tree bark [8]
54. silk Jute (bast fibre) [8]
55. budhiye young damsel old lady [8]
56. panjwan clarified butter, ghee [8]
57. chaiwan cooking oil [8]
58. chup sugar silence [12]
59. choona flour lime-stone powder [12]
60. panj ratnee wine, alcohol [8]
61. titari karela (bitter melon or bitter gourd) [8]
62. karadhee radish [8]
63. garday rice [12]
64. samudar milk ocean [12]
65. kastoora pig musk [12]
66. kesar turmeric saffron [12]
67. badam groundnuts, chickpeas, grams almonds [12]
68. aaracaa horse [8]
69. harni louse, lice [8]
70. baaj iron rod hawk, falcon [8]
71. bhuchangee, bhuhhangi son snake [12]
72. aakarhpun fever or bodily illness arrogance [12]
73. miserable pony Arab or Iraqi steed [13]
74. bata iron bowl [12]
75. birajkay seated holding court [12]
76. gurh jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) [12]
77. heeray white hairs pearls [12]
78. hulla hurry blast of eastern winds [12]
79. jhatanga goat [12]
80. kulga baldy (bald person) [12]
81. laraki chilli, spice shrew [12]
82. mamla money revenue [12]
83. morcha endeavour assault on the enemy [12]
84. parsram axe [12]
85. patwari Cat tax-collector [12]
86. bhootni train (rail locomotive) Female ghost [12]
87. subedar sweeper army sergeant [12]
88. theekar body shell [12]
89. dhokhay baaj spoon imposter [12]
90. vaheer mobile [12]
91. ghorrhey jutti shoes horses [12]
92. shaheedi maar punishment to the guilty a martyr's beating [12]
93. sawaayaa A little one and a quarter [12]
94. haraa pallaa grass green rice [12]
95. Sheesh Mahal shanty palace of mirrors [12]
96. swarag calamity heaven [12]
97. hazaar mekhee worn-out scarf [12]
98. gurmukhi parshad coarse grain blessed sacrament from the mouth of the Guru [12]
99. dabrroo ghusrooh individual lacking in Sikh conduct [12]
100. Dharamraj di dhee Sleeping daughter of the angel of death [12]
101. blind man wide-awake hero [16]
102. half-blind man argus-eyed lion [16]
103. deaf man man in the upper storey [16]
104. baptised Sikh brother of the golden cup (actually an iron vessel) [16]
105. to be fined by the community for a fault getting one's salary [16]
106. big stick lawyer [16]
107. to speak roar [16]

See also

Further reading

  • Khalsa Bole{{#if:Padam|, Padam}(1985)
  • Nihang Singha De Khalsai Gadgaj Bole{{#if:Bedi|, Bedi}
  • Humour in Sikhism{{#if:Singh|, Singh}. The Star Book Depot(1929)

Notes

Template:Notelist

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 India Today. India Today({Template:Year).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. OUP Oxford(2014). ISBN 9780191004117
  3. ↑ Sicques, Tigers or Thieves : Eyewitness Accounts of the Sikhs (1606-1810).{{#if:Madra|, Madra}. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-137-11998-8
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 The Illustrated Weekly of India{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Times of India Press(1969)
  5. ↑ Sikhing Success & Happiness : Spiritual Secrets for Success, Fulfillment & Happiness.{{#if:Singh|, Singh}. ISBN 978-1-4828-6637-7
  6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 6.23 6.24 6.25 6.26 6.27 6.28 6.29 6.30 6.31 Nihang Speak (bole), Singh, Khuswant. Hindustan Times (original publisher), republished on SikhNet.
  7. ↑ Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia{{#if:Singh|, Singh}. Publication Bureau of Patiala Punjabi University(1990)
  8. ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 8.19 8.20 Khalsa Bole{{#if:Padam|, Padam}(1985)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 We are the real heirs of the Sikh shrines and traditions: Baba Santa Singh, Gupta, Shekhar. India Today. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Terrorism in Context{{#if:Crenshaw|, Crenshaw}. Penn State Press(2010). ISBN 9780271044422
  11. ↑ The beloved forces of the Guru{{#if:Pall|, Pall}. B. Chattar Singh Jiwan Singh. ISBN 978-81-7601-857-9
  12. ↑ 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10 12.11 12.12 12.13 12.14 12.15 12.16 12.17 12.18 12.19 12.20 12.21 12.22 12.23 12.24 12.25 12.26 12.27 12.28 12.29 12.30 12.31 12.32 12.33 12.34 12.35 12.36 12.37 12.38 12.39 12.40 12.41 12.42 12.43 12.44 12.45 12.46 12.47 12.48 12.49 12.50 12.51 12.52 12.53 12.54 12.55 Thundering Words: The Martial Language of Nihangs. sikhchic.com.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 The Nihangs: Sikh Warrior Creed That Evokes Respect And Fear In Equal Measure. Outlook India.
  14. ↑ Hindu-Koh: Wanderings and Wild Sport on and Beyond the Himalayas{{#if:Macintyre|, Macintyre}. William Blackwood and Sons(1889)
  15. ↑ Anita and Me{{#if:Syal|, Syal}. Fourth Estate(1996). ISBN 1565845293
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 Humour in Sikhism{{#if:Singh|, Singh}. The Star Book Depot(1929)

References

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